Summary of Christopher Ryan's Civilized to Death

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book.

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#1 The story of civilization is that we have progressed from being primitive and brutish to being sophisticated and abundant. However, this Narrative of Perpetual Progress is poisonously destructive. It generates deep distrust of ourselves and each other, shame and disgust toward our animal bodies, and fear and hostility toward the natural world.

#2 The neo-Hobbesian view of human nature is that we are all born with a tendency toward nastiness, brutality, and suspicion, and that unless we are counteracted by the civilizing influences of authoritarian institutions, we will inevitably turn into nasty brutes.

#3 There are many similarities between modern foragers and prehistoric people. The foraging way of life is sustainable, and has lasted hundreds of thousands of years. It is no more primitive than any other lifestyle.

#4 The human body is a reflection of the past, and many of our behaviors and biases are reflections of the ancient worlds our ancestors lived in. Our bodies are shaped by the experiences of our ancestors, and it takes many generations to change course.

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